RECENTLY, PRESIDENT Barack Obama delivered historic speeches to the American people and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Israeli lobby. In the same week, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu delivered speeches to the U.S. Congress and AIPAC.

In his speeches, President Obama talked about recent developments in the Middle East and our commitment to supporting democracy there.

He portrayed the Arab-Israeli conflict as a cornerstone for the pursuit of peace in the region. He endorsed a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians would live side by side in peace in two independent states. He stated that the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on pre-1967 lines with mutually agreed-upon land swaps.

In his speech to Congress, Netanyahu again rejected President Obama’s reference to 1967 borders; he received 29 standing ovations for his arrogant and illegal ideas about ending the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Our unconditional support for Israel’s violations of international law and for its disregard of human rights is a threat to our security.

In the land of the free, we are prisoners of AIPAC.

Nabil Wahbeh

Oakland

Road to peace

ISRAEL MOVED out of Gaza unilaterally; leaving businesses, moving settlers. Hamas used Gaza as a place from which to shoot rockets at Israeli civilian homes, hospitals and a school bus.

We hear a great deal about what Israel should or should not do for peace with its neighbors. But we hear nothing about what the Palestinians and Arabs should or should not do; such as:

Accept the existence of the state of Israel as a democratic, non-Muslim country in the Middle East.

Stop the firing of rockets into Israel attempting to hit civilians.

Stop teaching school children to hate Israelis and Jews, and stop encouraging children and teenagers to become suicide bombers.

Stop suicide bombers.

Irene Weinberg

Oakland

Peace is doubtful

PRESIDENT BARACK Obama’s latest statement on a Mideast Peace plan is severely inadequate and weak. It is time for plain talk and clear preliminary demands. Stepping lightly has not and will not work.

Both Israel and its opposition have significant groups that will oppose any plan that can be considered objective and reasonable.

The U.S. has taken enough grief for its support of Israel despite its aid also to the Palestinians and to several of the Arab nations.

We have not seen Arab leadership, even in Libya, acting in the interests of its own people. We need to make it clear we will not invest any more time and effort in being in the midst of this fight unless the following conditions are met:

There will be no more rocket attacks or other aggression against Israel.

In response, Israel will not launch any attacks.

The Israeli soldier kidnapped long ago will be returned; no trades.

Hamas, Hezbollah, and all the Mideast nations will officially, with direct communication, recognize the state of Israel and its right to exist.

In response, Israel will cease all construction in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

There will be no right of return. Too much time has passed for relevance and it would undermine Israel.

Israel will keep strategic territory, such as the Golan Heights, now held. (Who would trust Syria with what we are seeing?)

Jerusalem will be no one’s capital or both, with all religious sights under U.N. control and access to all.

The U.S. will not provide any more funding to Palestine until these agreements move forward. Enough money has already been wasted on hate-fueled physical aggression by the Palestinians and their allies that could have otherwise been spent on major economic development and a meaningful standard of living.

Once the above has been accomplished, solutions to the physical nature of a Palestinian state and a resolution to the West Bank settlements shall be addressed.

Will this happen? I doubt it. Will we see secure peace in the next 20, 30 years? Doubtful.